Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust

Fairy Good Cakes 🧚 will be landing at #BrownhillsCanalFestival 16-17 August 2025 in the legendary little pink van – fully loaded with dangerously delicious treats. Come for the cake, stay because your legs stopped working after eating three cakes! 😋

HHG2025 is steaming ahead and the excitement’s building faster than a vintage engine! We’ve got historic boats, classic cars, toe-tapping musicians, and traders galore… there’s still room to squeeze in a few more land traders. Fancy joining the lineup? heritagegathering.uk

🧸 Snuggle alert! Meet our brand-new cuddly companions — a sweet bear or a lovable dog. Perfect for kids or the young at heart 💛 Soft, huggable, and helps support our canal restoration work! Buy now: lhcrt.org.uk/shop/home/106-…

Nigel and his DofE apprentice Michael have been working hard to finish the new fencing at either end of Old Lock 29, down at Darnford Moors Ecology Park. We’ve had temporary safety fencing there for a while – but this looks much better!

New to #BrownhillsCanalFestival is The Curry Cruiser Bringing the authentic taste of Indian home cooking to Brownhills on a boat. Freshly made street food and proper handed-down recipes, locally grown ingredients.

Our volunteers’ final job this week before the @wrg_navvies arrive for their two-week “holiday” at Gallows Reach 👷‍♂️👷‍♀️😎 Steel landing and nesting beams are now in place for the new lift bridge, with wooden formwork ready for concrete. #Lichfield #WeDigCanals

Captain Cheddar will be docking at #BrownhillsCanalFestival with cheeses you never knew you needed. 🧀 If it can be cheesed, they’ve probably got it. Come grab a truckle or ten.😄 BUT - we need rain to keep the canal accessible for the boats, so do your best rain dance 🌧️🙏

Big thanks to the team of four from @SthStaffsWater who rolled up their sleeves at Darnford Moors Ecology Park on Tuesday! They tackled hedge trimming, cleared access verges and overhanging branches, and even gave the old lock area a much-needed tidy. 👏

Waddle you know—Hillwood Gifts (aka The Duck Lady) is flying in for #BrownhillsCanalFestival: 16-17 August 2025! 🦆 From wooden ducks dressed to impress to gifts for every occasion, she’s got the flocking lot. Need something bespoke? She’ll hatch a plan just for you.

Modern shell, historic soul. Defiance’s Kelvin K2 engine once powered a Scottish lighthouse—now it purrs on the cut. Rescued from the Purton Hulks, restored and reborn. See her at #BrownhillsCanalFestival 16–17 Aug. #UKCanals

At Tamworth Road Narrows, our volunteers have started the next stage of bricklaying. The water level will sit just below the blue bricks, while the upper layers of heritage brickwork will cleverly conceal the concrete buttressing behind.

Come and meet @NBwakamatandoto at #BrownhillsCanalFestival. Eco potions 🫧, crafty storage 🧵, and bespoke canal art 🎨. Small-space magic with big creative vibes 💚 #FloatingTraders

Get ready to moo with delight at #BrownhillsCanalFestival with scent-sational local company @COWHomeLTD. 🐮 From whipped soaps fluffier than your pet cat to body butters smoother than your best chat-up line. COW’s creations are udderly irresistible. lhcrt.org.uk/brownhills-can…

Hyperion, built in 1935 and paired with Hyades for GUCCC. After years of cargo service and more out of trade she later returned to service as a fuel boat. She’s now owned by Charlotte’s Arts, a printmaker inspired by canal life. Catch her at #BrownhillsCanalFestival

Nuneaton and Brighton are historic working boats built in the 1930s for canal freight. Once part of the Grand Union fleet, they later served British Waterways and Willow Wren. Now operated by @NarrowBoatTrust they will be at Brownhills Canal Festival. lhcrt.org.uk/brownhills-can…

Cruise into Brownhills Canal Festival and moor up for festival flavours with Daisy's Bakin' Butty—juicy burgers, bacon rolls, homemade cakes, drinks, and handcrafted wooden gifts aboard two historic boats. #FloatingTraders #UKCanals lhcrt.org.uk/brownhills-can…

It's time to introduce you to the traders at Brownhills Canal Festival. First @StarCraftsNeb offering a treasure trove of handcrafted gifts and traditional sweets for all ages. They’re a festival favourite for good reason! lhcrt.org.uk/brownhills-can…

Rain didn’t stop Oscar and Michael from getting stuck in with towpath maintenance yesterday – even after completing their Gold @DofE expedition last week. They even got to meet local MP @DaveR_Lichfield during their volunteering session.

It was a pleasure to welcome @DaveR_Lichfield MP for a tour of our work today, despite the rain. From the established canal at Borrowcop Locks to the latest progress at Gallows Reach, he got to see the transformation taking place — what’s been achieved and what's next.

We're all set up at Burntwood Wakes and have brought some furry friends too.